Heather Romero-Kornblum

Merry-Go-Round

I took you on the merry-go-round

Purple-eyed baby, scared of the up and down

As the world went round and round

I presented the illusion of solid ground

You wanted to go multiple times around

I was too poor to pay, damn bourgeoisie town

Sleighting my hand, bouquet fillers found

In my offerings as I almost drowned

Ashamed I couldn’t keep your dad around

I was a merry-go-round for men, those clowns

But your eyes on me every dawn renowned

To you I was yours, safe and sound

I climb for you, my beautiful crowned

Purple-eyed love with a perpetual frown

Almost teenaged now, I no longer astound

No dancing in public, you propound

I refuse to lose you to this world-go-round

I am still your mom, though critics abound

Dream the Pegasus you ride, born from my wound

Whirls you back to the days of our merry-go-round

Ladylike Haiku

Whirl rhymes with girl, fun,

cool, no complaints allowed, but

I took you to court

Not Your Medusa

I twirled on dancefloors as a young girl

wanting to be spun by men

I imagined would protect me

from other men

I smiled after forced kisses

apologized as I ran out of apartments

when some got too angry

I didn’t deliver 

what they thought they bought

Jumped once out of a moving car

hid in building stairwells

as catcalls turned to tire screeches

behind me

I carried bell hooks and Maya Angelou

as if they could ward off

my stupidity 

Now I dream of the desert alone

realizing what I gave up

the price I paid

for desire